


The scent of peach pies

by RachelDanna



Category: Tales of Xillia, Tales of Xillia 2
Genre: Alvin needs to be happy, Alvin's mother, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Leticia has different spelling okay I didn't know which to tag, M/M, Mentioned Character Death, Other, Post-Tales of Xillia 2, Set after Tales of Xillia 2, family fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-22
Updated: 2015-10-22
Packaged: 2018-04-27 13:49:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5050870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RachelDanna/pseuds/RachelDanna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He hadn't expected to see her in the least, at least not until he has properly passed. Alvin trains his eyes on the woman before him, and tries to stop himself from crying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The scent of peach pies

**Author's Note:**

> .. I actually wrote this for a school exam. I'm not kidding. (minus the details + Jude + Elle + minor settings + word length) I haven't got the paper back yet, but I'm wondering what my teacher will say aha. The assignment was   
>  " Begin your essay with 'I could hardly believe my eyes...' "

I could hardly believe my eyes, and for a second, I thought I was dreaming, maybe even dead. A woman stood before me, a small smile on her face. She had brown hair cascading down till her shoulders, and a pair of hazel eyes that matched my own. She looked young, yet mature, at the prime of her age. None of that silver hair and wrinkled face that I had stored in memory.

She looked beautiful.

I swallowed thickly, my eyes wide and my mouth opening and closing, trying to say something but being unable to. Or rather, I couldn’t find any words to say. They bundled up in my thoughts, clenching around my vocal chords, but as soon as I opened my mouth to speak, they die down right on the edge of my tongue.

Seeming to be unaffected by my short dilemma, she reached out a pale hand, and gestured for me to step closer. With no room for hesitation, I voluntarily complied, my feet dragging itself on the ground as I trained my eyes on her, afraid that she would disappear the moment I looked away. The smile never left her face, but the more I stepped closer to her, the more I noticed how the smile she wore was sad, a little tired, but warm.

Once I was within reaching distance, she reached across to brush her fingers through my hair, making me freeze in my tracks. She said nothing, continuing to play with the strands in between her fingers. My fists clenched where they were at my sides, and I felt the familiar sting of tears prickling in my eyes. Willing them to stay at bay, I reached towards her, pulling her hands into mine.

Her hands were cold to the touch. Shocked, I dropped them without thinking, making her wince away slightly. Dismissing my short-lived discomfort, I took her hands in mine once more, ignoring the cold that now seeped into my bones. Rubbing circles into her palm, my eyes watered once more, and I let out a shuddering breath.

Just as I was coming around to open my mouth to speak, she interrupted by pulling her hands away, and with a pale, delicate, finger, she pressed it to my lips, silencing me without any difficulties.

“Oh how you’ve grown.” She whispered.

Her voice was soft, melodious, with a hint of fondness directed solely for me. A few traitor tears slid down my cheeks, but her cold thumb caught them, wiping them away with ease. She smiled at me, and laughed. “You always were a big crybaby.” She started, resting a palm on my cheek, making me shudder from how cold it felt. “What should I do with you?”

I shook my head, wanting to tell her how much I love her, to scream and yell profanities and _why? Why did you leave me so soon? We were supposed to go home. I was supposed to take you home._ _We were supposed to go home and watch the sunset again._ But she stopped me once more by sliding her hands to rest on my shoulders, having to stand on the tip of her toes to do so.

I took a good look at her, and with an awful awareness, I realized that she had tears in her own pair of hazel eyes. _Don’t cry, please don’t cry._ I couldn’t even speak. It was as if I wasn’t allowed to. It was as if the universe was against me and it wasn’t even letting me speak to my own-

“I can well-nigh hear your negativity, Alfred.”

My breath hitched, and before I knew it, I had pulled her into my arms, crashing her into my chest. _Alfred._ She had called my name; she had called my name without being delirious. She had called my name with the full awareness of me being right next to her. She had called my name with the fondness and filled with so much _love_ that I never thought I would hear ever again.

She laughed once more, sadder this time. I gripped her closer, lightly noting that she was running her hands through my messy hair once more. We stood there for what seemed like forever, but to me, it wasn’t nearly enough.

She pulled away far to quickly for my liking, but with a smile so warm and with eyes so bright on her features, and the kiss on my cheek that followed soon after, I found myself caught. “I’m so proud of you, for finally finding your own happiness.” she beamed.

Her body seemed to fade away, and I reached out on instinct to hold onto her, to only have my fingers brush right through. She offered me another one of her fond smiles, not seeming to care about how much panic was settling into me. Her hand reached out to cup my face once more, and with a final breath, she exhaled.

_“It’s isn’t time for you yet. Go on home, Alfred. To your happiness.”_

I woke with a start, gasping for air as I came down from the shock, my vision was blurry, but I could faintly make out the familiarized glow of a healing arte above me. “Alvin!” Jude’s worried voice presented itself upon me. I hissed in pain, finally comprehending the wound on my abdomen. 

“Is Alvin up yet?!” Elle’s voice carried over from wherever the hell she was fighting with that elite monster that had knocked me out. “Is he okay?!”

Jude’s face came into my field of vision, the blurry edges slowly clearing up. “He should be!” Jude called back. “For now at least!”

“Jude…” I whispered, confusion lacing my every word. Just as I was about to get up, he pushed me down, resting my back on a slightly less jaded rock. “Stay down Alvin, you’re hurt pretty bad. What were you thinking?! Jumping in front of me like that! You could’ve just warned me!”

Elle gave a cry of triumphant, to which I assume she had successfully defeated the monster that we so happened to bump into on the way to the laboratory in Helioborg. Running to my side as Jude finished healing me, she knelt down, her face coming right up to mine, shoving Jude away not too gently.

“Alvin! Are you okay?” She demanded, to which I just stared blankly at her.

Silence settled over us, Jude shuffling closer with uneasiness in his every move. “Alvin…?” he questioned, gripping my hand fearfully, his eyes shone with apprehension.

I swallowed thickly, moving a shaky hand through Jude’s spiky hair. “Peach pies…” I started, to Elle’s confusion, but to Jude’s astonishment. “I smelt peach pies.”

Tears started running down my face as soon as my sentence was over, and the both of them started to panic even more, but I couldn’t help it. I pulled away from Jude’s hair, and chose instead to bury my face in my hands.

 

_I’m so proud of you…._

_…. For finally finding your own happiness._

“Peach pies, Jude.” I sobbed, “ _Peace pies._ She smelt just like the peach pies that she used to make. 

Jude and Elle both threw me equally similar concerned looks, but I dismissed them just as quickly as they hauled me to my feet. “Alvin… what’s wrong?” Elle questioned, her brows furrowed together and her head tilted to the side, just like how Ludger once did when he was confused, or troubled. 

It was a wonder I didn’t see him.

My gaze rested on Jude, and I breathed, “ _Leticia.”_

Jude’s breath seemed to hitch at the mention of that name, his eyes widening a considerable amount (with Elle still remaining confused at our side). Overcoming his shock, Jude smiled, pulling me closer into his arms. “What did she say?” He mumbled. I didn’t know if Jude realized what I meant, but by the look on his face, it told me that he had once experienced this too, which was a spectacle, but I didn’t dare question it.

 

_Go on home Alfred, to your happiness._

For the woman that I saw in my dream was none other than my beloved mother, dead and buried six feet underground, wishing her son well and blessing him with happiness.


End file.
